There are some evenings that feel less like an event and more like a reunion of history.

On Friday, 6^th March, 2026, Nile Hall at Hotel Africana transformed into exactly that, a living archive of stories, laughter, old friendships, and shared purpose as alumni of the Makerere University College of Health Sciences gathered to celebrate 100 years of training health professionals.

Doctors who once hurried through the corridors of Mulago Hospital as young students walked in now as senior consultants, professors, policymakers, and global experts. Some had not seen each other in decades. Many, I believe, picked up conversations exactly where they had left them during their student days.

But one thing was clear from the moment guests began arriving: this was not just a dinner. It was a celebration of a legacy.

Where Old Friends Found Each Other Again

The hall filled with familiar greetings:

“You were in the class of ’92, right?”
“We survived those ward rounds together!”
“Do you remember Davies Lecture Theatre before exams?”

Over 437 alumni and friends of the College attended, out of more than 500 tickets purchased, a remarkable turnout for the first-ever MakCHS Alumni Dinner.

Among them were distinguished former faculty and leaders who helped shape the College over the decades, including former Vice Chancellor Prof. George Kirya, Prof. George Paul D’Arbella, Prof. Anokbonggo, and Prof. Sam Luboga.

Their presence reminded everyone in the room that the College’s story is not just about buildings and laboratories but about people who devoted their lives to teaching, healing and the lives of our nation’s citizens.

A Home That Shaped Generations

In a message delivered on behalf of the Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, herself an alumna of the College, the evening took on a deeply personal tone.

She reflected on returning to Makerere not just as a national leader in health, but as someone whose professional journey began in the very halls the dinner was celebrating.

“Reaching a centenary is not merely the marking of time; it is the celebration of generations of dedication, scholarship, and service that have shaped the health and well-being of our nation.”  Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng highlighted in her remarks.

Her remarks resonated with many medical school alumni in the room who recognised their own journeys in her words. She spoke warmly of the demanding yet formative days of medical school, recalling the long hours of study, intense ward rounds, and the mentors who insisted that medicine must be practised with both rigour and compassion.

“Medicine is not just about diagnosis and treatment, but about service, humility, scientific rigour, and compassion.” She further noted in her speech.

Those lessons, she said, remain as relevant today as they were decades ago.

For 100 years, the College of Health Sciences has trained professionals who now form the backbone of Uganda’s health system and continue to shape global health.

As the Minister noted, graduates of the College today serve everywhere, in hospitals and health centres across Uganda, as public health leaders shaping national policy, as researchers generating new medical knowledge, as educators training the next generation of doctors

“Our health system stands on the shoulders of these professionals.” She noted.

It was a moment that reminded everyone present that the institution’s influence extends far beyond Makerere Hill.

The evening also carried moments of reflection. A special tribute was paid to the generations of faculty and alumni who kept the College strong even during difficult times in Uganda’s history, including periods of limited resources, national instability, and public health crises.

The Minister also acknowledged the recent passing of Dr. Zirembuzi, a respected member of the academic community in the Department of Paediatrics.

His contribution to training young doctors and caring for children, she noted, embodied the very spirit that has defined the College for a century.

Alumni Power in Action

Beyond celebration, the evening also had a purpose. The dinner marked the launch of a fundraising effort to refurbish the iconic Davies Lecture Theatre, a space etched into the memories of generations of medical students. And alumni responded enthusiastically.

By the end of the night, dinner and raffle ticket sales reached UGX 118 million. Additional donations and pledges totalled about UGX 100 million and USD 7,000. It was a powerful reminder that alumni engagement is not only about nostalgia but also about investing in the institution’s future that shaped them.

Looking to the Next Century

During the evening, the College’s leadership also shared updates on the institution’s state and direction. The message was clear: the next 100 years will demand even more innovation, collaboration, and commitment.

Uganda’s health system faces complex challenges, from infectious diseases to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases and mental health. Strengthening the health workforce and expanding research that informs national policy will remain critical priorities. The College’s alumni were reminded that it will continue to play a central role in that mission.

By the end of the night, conversations had spilled across tables and into hallways. Photos were taken. Old stories resurfaced. Long-lost friends reunited. New collaborations were imagined.

And there was one clear consensus among those present: This should not be the last time. Indeed, alumni resolved that the dinner should become an annual tradition, strengthening the bonds between generations of MakCHS graduates.

More Than a Celebration

As the evening drew to a close, the feeling in the room was unmistakable. This was not simply a celebration of the past. It was a reminder that the College of Health Sciences is a living community, one built by generations of professionals united by a shared calling to heal, to teach, and to serve.

And if the energy in Nile Hall, on Friday, 6th March, 2026, was any indication, the next century of MakCHS will be just as remarkable as the first.

Caroline Kainomugisha is the Communications Officer, Advancement Office, Makerere University.